Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 17

Adelaide

Uncle Jake’s cleaning supplies were slim but I made the jugs of vinegar and ammonia work for their appointed uses. My mirrors were streak free and my counters and utensils were cleaned with vinegar; a natural disinfectant. I washed my clothes in the pond with a bar of soap as best I could and hung them up out back on the line. 

Right now, I was fighting with the truck, trying to figure out why it refused to turn over. I wasn’t ready to tackle the bike. Too many emotions collided there. And I’d never ridden on my own, so I was afraid of showing my ass. To whom? My damn self. All afternoon I had been shaking off the feeling of being watched. It was a sensation that came and went since I’d been here, and I attributed it to my paranoia. Creedon had broken something vital inside of me. Trust, not just in those around me, but in myself. Since I arrived here, I was lost somewhere between survival mode and normality.

I had trusted Beck, because he was the right thing at the right place and time. I was sorry for using him, but he didn’t seem to mind. The trucker, however, I had manipulated myself into that scenario out of necessity. He seemed like a good man with a thriving family, and I hoped my few hours with him wouldn’t cost him his life. All of these thoughts ran through my head, as I loosened the drain plug, to allow the old oil to drain into the pan. There was only so much I knew how to do to fix this dinosaur of a vehicle, and I was trying everything I already knew how to do, before I was forced to walk my way into town out of survival.

In the past, I never let fate rule me, not for my social standing or anything else. Lately, however, I felt like I was being herded by fate and I couldn’t figure out if I was pissed or if I liked it. Some things fell into place, while others, like this blasted truck, insisted on trying my everloving patience.

“Fuck this bullshit!” I screamed, kicking the undercarriage of the truck in frustration, when the nut tumbled from my fingertips. That move had cost me, as pain raced across my ribs, and made it hard to breathe.

“You need some help there, Miss?” a deep voice asked. My heart hammered in my chest, and I gripped the screwdriver like a vice, before I rolled out from under the truck ready to fight. My ribs screamed in protest at the movements, only to see a demigod of a dirty blond, masculine form in full law enforcement uniform. He stood almost as tall as my uncle, as he looked down at me from under the shadow of his worn cowboy hat. I must look batshit crazy as I gritted my teeth against the pain.

Glancing around, I didn’t see a vehicle.  I took a few deep breaths, realizing I hadn’t bothered to mask the bruises on my face. I watched him wince at my appearance as he took me in. I swallowed, finding my backbone.

“What can I do for you, officer?” I tried not to hiss in my aggravation.

“I'm just here to see who has trespassed on this property,” he said, coolly. But his green eyes roved over me and the shame of my appearance embedded into my soul.

“Well, I ain’t trespassing. My uncle left me the place,” I said, as I tried to relax my hand holding the screwdriver while I dusted off the dirt from my back. I stepped away from him a few steps to keep distance. My movements didn’t go unnoticed. His eyes were over assessing, as they should be in such a situation, but my heart continued to hammer in my chest. I felt like caged prey.

He cocked his head observing me from top to bottom, something tightened in his features and he swallowed before speaking again. “Who did that to you?” he asked, with a suppressed growl evident in his voice.

“That’s none of your damn business, Sir,” I shot back. His eyes closed as if trying to gain a sense of composure.

“Anything that happens in this town is my business. We don’t let men beat the shit out of women here,” he growled out.

“Well, it didn’t happen here, rest assured. Do you need proof I’m here legally or something?” I asked. And he gave me a no shit look. 

So I held my hands up. “I’ll get the damn papers,” the ice queen in my chest spat, and I stormed into the house and dug through my backpack for the papers. Snatching them, I took a breath. 

This isn’t you, it’s the trauma talking, I told myself, and I knew I was right. I took a moment to humble myself before I stepped out to greet the handsome officer more demurely. I just handed him the papers and looked down waiting for a response. It was a while before one came.

“So, Jake, you said Jake was your uncle?” he asked, handing me back the papers. 

“Yeah, my dad’s brother, but he died before I was born, so Jake had been like a dad to me,” I elaborated. His face tightened a fraction before he handed me the papers back, his shoulders sagged. “Jake was a good man,” he said solemnly.

“He was the best,” I acknowledged, my heart aching. His face strained for a moment.

Next he asked, “So what seems to be the problem?” pointing at the truck.

“It won’t start, I’ve checked everything I can think of, the oil, the starter, the battery is live. Don’t ask me how I know,” I cringed. I had zapped myself yesterday.

He chuckled and held out his hand. “Johnathan Carter, at your service, Ma’am,” he offered.

My body recoiled, protective, I eyed him up and down. “Did you know my Uncle Jake?” I asked, gauging the man before me. 

His eyes closed as he nodded. “My dad and him grew up together, they were close; not to mention, I don’t live but up the road. Jake and I, we were close,” he pointed out. Finally, I made up my mind and let my hand reach for his, as his eyes bore into mine, he took it, and I swear, universes collided. I was aware of his heavy breathing, as our eyes stayed locked. My own heart skipped over several beats, but right now, I trusted nothing, least of all my aching bitch of a body.

I cocked my head as his hand gripped mine tighter. A rough clearing of his throat, as he released my hand finally. My fingers twitched, tingling.

“Jake rarely used the truck. You probably just need fresh gas,” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I don’t really want to go into town, but the power is off, so I need to get that sorted out, and I need a few things to get by until it’s up and running,” I lett him know. He shook his head a bit before seeing me clearly.

“Go pull yourself together. I'll take you to get what you need and get your power turned on.”

How did this man go from accusations to assistance? I didn’t know, but I’d listen and follow the course. I nodded and went inside to skillfully cover all the marks on my face and neck in record time. Something in my gut told me to comply. It irked me, after what I had been through, that my bullheadedness was in full force. But that didn’t matter if I could live here in total peace.